


Amber and Idiot's Arrays

by rktho_writes



Category: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Birthday, Bullying, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Gen, Original Character-centric, POV Child, POV Original Character, POV Original Female Character, Pre-Solo: A Star Wars Story, Single POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:41:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22112029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rktho_writes/pseuds/rktho_writes
Summary: A young Twi'lek girl has a miserable birthday with her abusive guardians as she waits for her mother to save enough money to come for her.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	Amber and Idiot's Arrays

**Author's Note:**

> This is a short story featuring a few of my original characters, with a cameo from a familiar charming scoundrel. It's a little dark but I hope the little slivers of sunshine come through. This fic takes place on an original planet with original vegetables.
> 
> Trigger warning for roleplayed slavery and some physical and verbal abuse and bullying.

**11 BBY; Monderon.**

Leela sat in the laundry room of the Tarkays' inn, knees drawn up as she hummed herself a birthday song. She was seven years old today. Not that it made any difference to the Tarkays. They'd worked her just as hard all day. Now she was trying to avoid attention so she could rest. Her arms ached from all the mopping, carrying, and shoveling she'd had to do. It felt good to rest.

"Leela!" barked a cross voice from the kitchen. "Get in here, you useless worm'ead!"

Leela scampered frantically into the room, her lekku flopping behind her. "Coming, Mrs. Tarkay!" she squeaked.

"That's the second time I've ‘ad to call you three times today," growled the Gamorreanesque Weequay woman at the counter, who had only called once. "A third time an' you won't get a _scrap_ tomorrow, understand? Go fetch the mail."

"Yes, Mrs. Tarkay," said Leela quickly, scampering over to the desk where Mr. Tarkay's various cards and identichips were strewn about. She picked up the mail chip and wove through the dining area where a handful of customers were sitting and drinking. She opened the door and went to retrieve the mail.

When Leela reached the mailbox, she inserted the chip. The interface began to glow and the hatch slid open. She reached a hand inside and drew out the one item in the mailbox.

Leela saw six words written on the package. She recognized her mother's name and her own.

This was a package for her!

Her mother had gotten her something for her birthday.

She skipped back into the house, her mood considerably lighter.

She opened the door and started walking to her room.

"Bring it 'ere," Tarkay's wife commanded.

"It's for me, Mrs. Tarkay," said Leela.

Tarkay's wife snorted. "Like 'ell it is. Give it to me."

Reluctantly, Leela handed over the box. "See? It has my name on it."

"It does not," Tarkay's wife insisted as she read the inscription. She clicked open the box and furrowed her brow.

She walked out of the kitchen and upstairs. Leela followed her, wringing her hands. Tarkay's wife stopped in front of the door to Portia's room. "Portie!"

Portia opened the door. "Yes, Mummy?"

"I 'ave somethin' for you," said Portia's mother. She handed the box to her.

Portia's eyes widened and she lifted the item that was in the box. Leela gasped. It was an amber stone on a string, and it was one of the prettiest things Leela had ever seen. Her mother must have saved up a lot to send it to her.

Portia put the necklace around her neck. "Thank you, Mummy," she beamed.

"That's for me!" Leela cried. " _My_ mama sent that to me! It's my birthday!"

"Nonsense," Portia's mother waved. "This is addressed to Portia. Isn't it, Portie? Why don't you read what it says. Show Leela 'ow good you can read."

Portia grinned evilly and closed the lid of the box so she could read it. "To… Portia."

"You're lying!" Leela cried. "That says Leela! I know my own name!" She tried to reach for the necklace, but Portia's mother yanked her away. "Let me go! Let me go!"

Tarkay's wife marched back downstairs with Leela under her arm. "That's enough out o' you!" she growled. "Go pick pomdetares for tonight's soup! Don't come back until you've filled the 'ole bucket!"

"But—"

"Another word out o' you an' it's the paddle!" Tarkay's wife thrust the bucket into Leela's hands. "Get out!"

Leela ran into the backyard, squeezing tears from her eyes. She fell to her knees on the soil and began to weep. It wasn't fair. Her mother had worked so hard to send her a present for her birthday and it had been taken and given away before she had even seen it.

Taking a shuddering breath, Leela stood and gripped the stem of the pomdetare plant and pulled upward with all her strength.

She panicked as the stem almost broke. She pulled slower and soon the skin of a pomdetare emerged from the soil. She dug around it until the entire vegetable was revealed, then she wrapped her hands around it and gently pulled. The rest of the pomdetares came up, dripping with crumbling dirt. She plucked each vegetable from the root and deposited them into the bucket.

Leela turned as she heard the door open. Portia sauntered out with a giant smirk on her face. "'Ello, Leela."

Leela bit her lip and said nothing.

"Mummy says she feels like making cake for dessert," Portia simpered. "I'll let you lick my plate if you play Zygerrian Queen with me an' Mona."

Leela shuddered. "Can we please play something else?"

Portia lifted the amber stone to admire it. "No."

"Then I don't think I will," Leela replied timidly. She went back to plucking pomdetares off the stem.

Portia's eyes lit up with sudden inspiration. "What if we let you be the queen?"

Leela's eyes widened. "You'd let _me_ be the _queen?_ "

"Sure," Portia replied. "It is your birthday after all."

Leela couldn't believe it. She never got to be the queen. She was always the slave. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined they would let her be the queen!

The door opened again and Desdemona walked out. "Leela," she called. "Take the pomdetares inside. Daddy wants to see you."

Leela swallowed and put the rest of the stem in the bucket, with a cluster of pomdetares still hanging from it. She picked up the bucket and stumbled inside. She left it inside by the door and ran to the Tarkay girls' father.

"There you are," Tarkay grunted. He tugged on one of his jowl frills and cocked his head.

Leela knew what that sign meant. Tarkay was about to play sabacc with some customers, and he expected Leela to help him cheat.

"Mona!" Tarkay called.

Desdemona walked into the room. "Yes, Daddy?" she asked.

"'Ow many pomdetares did Leema pick?"

Desdemona walked over to the bucket. "'Ardly any," she replied nastily.

"Well, Leema 'as to 'elp me with somethin'," said Tarkay. "So I'm goin' to need you to do your mother a favor an' pick the rest for her."

"What?" Desdemona cried. "But—"

"I'll make it up to you, sweets patogga," Tarkay clucked. "Don't you worry. Just go an' pick a few more pomdetares for your mother's soup so she can feed all these people— and us."

Desdemona nodded and picked up the bucket. Leela noticed how easily she carried it.

"Come 'ere," whispered Tarkay. "See that guy over there in the yellow?"

Leela looked. There was a young human male in a cape and a yellow buttoned shirt sitting at one of the tables. A tall, cobbled-together droid stood next to him with its hands on its hips. Leela nodded.

"You know what to do," he whispered with a grin. Leela bit her lip and nodded.

Tarkay walked back over and asked the man something. The man gave a reply and Tarkay went behind the counter.

That was Leela's cue. She walked up to the table, eyes as wide as she could make them.

"Why, hello there, little lady," said the man in yellow. "What's your name?"

"I'm Leela," Leela replied.

"Lando Calrissian," the man smiled warmly. "Do you live here?"

"Yes sir," said Leela. "The Tarkays take care of me so my mama can work."

"Well that is very generous of them," said Lando. "Take a seat. Your guardian and I are about to play a game of sabacc."

"I think I'll stand," Leela said, although she wanted to sit. She needed to be behind Calrissian for Tarkay's strategy to work. She felt bad helping Tarkay cheat someone who seemed so nice.

"Do they feed you?" asked the droid, cocking her head.

"Of course," Leela said quickly. "Why?"

"How old are you? Five? You're so skinny," replied the droid.

"Ellthree, it's not polite to make comments on people's appearance," Lando frowned. "I'm sorry about that. She tends to say whatever pops into her circuits."

"What's wrong with being concerned?" Ellthree retorted. "How old are you, anyway?"

"I turned seven today," Leela replied shyly.

"I see!" Lando grinned. "You having a good birthday?"

Leela nodded.

"Well, I hope you have a very happy birthday, Leela. And here's our gracious host!" said Lando as Tarkay approached, carrying drinks. He took the glowing blue one and sipped it. "Ahh… Thank you."

"I see you've met our Leeha," Tarkay beamed. "Adorable, isn't she?"

"Does she eat enough?" asked Ellthree.

" _Ellthree!_ " Lando glared at her. "Excuse my droid. She's already asked about your charge's appearance. I told her it was rude."

"She 'as, 'as she?" Tarkay looked at Leela.

"We had a huge lunch!" said Leela with sudden feigned excitement. "Roast bantha sandwiches! Mine was _this_ big!" She spread her skinny little arms out wide.

Ellthree glanced at Lando skeptically.

Lando threw a pair of dice onto the table, then produced a deck of cards and shuffled them. "Shall we begin?"

Tarkay tossed a credit chip onto the table and Lando followed suit. Tarkay then tossed three credit chips onto the table. Lando called his bet.

Tarkay glanced at Leela. She looked at Lando's cards and scratched her leg eight times.

Tarkay grinned and raised his bet.

"So, Calrissian," said Tarkay conversationally as Lando matched him, "What do you do for a livin'?"

"I'm a smuggler," said Lando as Tarkay drew a card. "I'm very good at it, too. I'm surprised you've never heard of me." Lando waved his hand over the table to indicate he was standing.

Tarkay smirked and picked up the dice. "What's your usual cargo?"

"Oh, lots of things," said Calrissian, scooping up the dice and rolling. "Rare artifacts, mostly. The treasures I've found... If only you'd heard the stories."

"Give it thirty seconds, you will," Ellthree quipped.

Treasure! Leela wanted to hear about that.

"But it's not always the glamorous stuff," said Lando as Tarkay laid down a sizable wager. "Spice. Coaxium. Tibanna, every now and then, when I'm feeling something more legitimate. Interstellar tibanna gas is a very lucrative business. I'll raise you fifty."

Leela didn't know what spice was, except that Tarkay's wife had a secret box of it in her bottom drawer. She didn't know what coaxium was either, and she was confused by the mention of tibanna. Did he mean a tibanna split? Did Calrissian smuggle ice cream?

Tarkay chuckled and laid down a card. "Feelin' lucky, are you?"

"I'm a lucky guy," Lando shrugged.

"What's tibanna?" asked Leela, cocking her head.

"It's a very useful little gas," Lando explained. "It acts as a conductor for blasters and provides a coolant for lightspeed engines."

Leela scrunched her brow.

"It makes lasers and it keeps hyperdrives from exploding," Ellthree clarified.

Leela wondered what a tibanna split was made of and was suddenly glad she'd never had one.

Tarkay rolled doubles and cursed under his breath. He swapped his cards for a new hand. He anxiously watched Lando take the dice.

"Quite a marvel, tibanna gas," Lando murmured as he tossed the dice. "Mined on Bespin. Ever been to Bespin, Mr. Tarkay? Beautiful planet. I'm thinking I might retire there once I've had enough of... this." He gestured ostentatiously and looked at his dice to make sure he hadn't rolled doubles.

"Where's that?" asked Tarkay, tossing down another hundred credits. "Outer Rim?"

"Sure is," said Lando, tossing down two hundred. "Lovely ball of gas in the Anoat sector. Absolutely breathtaking. Cities in the clouds illuminated by auburn sunsets. It's paradise."

Leela's eyes were wide. "Floating cities? On clouds?" Her mind began to fill with towers and castles suspended in the sky.

"Quite a sight," Lando smirked. "If you ever make your way out to the Anoat sector, be sure to stop by."

"We'll 'ave to save up," said Tarkay. "Quite the trip, all the way out to Anoat."

Leela chewed her lip. Of course Tarkay would never take her, even if he wasn't so cheap.

"Tell you what," said Lando. "I'll wager another three hundred. That brings the hand pot to…" Lando glanced at Ellthree.

"Three thousand four hundred and sixty," Ellthree replied. "With one hundred in the sabacc pot."

"That should cover it," said Lando. "Fancy a vacation, all you have to do is win."

Leela's eyes widened at all the credits piled on the table. How much money did Lando _have?_

The pot was getting big. Tarkay was sure to win with Calrissian's hand being so poor.

Tarkay chuckled and matched Lando's bet. "Oh, I'm going to be a lot richer by the end o' this game."

"Cocky one, aren't you?" Ellthree remarked.

"Kinda mouthy for a droid, aren't you?" Tarkay snorted.

"Only as mouthy as you are for a _man_ ," Ellthree shot back.

"Let's not be childish, Ellthree," said Lando, holding up his hand. "I'll stand as well."

Tarkay rolled the dice. Doubles again. "Poodoo." He picked up a new hand. Leela smirked inwardly, but she knew there was a still a high chance of Tarkay winning. Lando's hand was only worth eight. Maybe next round his hand would be better…

Lando rolled. Tarkay blew air out of his bottom lip and bet two hundred credits.

Lando grinned. "All in."

All in? With a hand of eight? Leela looked at Lando's cards again. Sure enough, Lando had a two, a three, and a…

Zero? Leela furrowed her brow. Lando hadn't had a zero card when they'd started and he hadn't rolled doubles. A zero, two and a three meant Lando had an Idiot's Array. His hand was unbeatable. Just one turn ago it had been worth a mere eight points. Then Leela saw the corner of a card in Lando's sleeve. Her eyes widened.

Calrissian was going to beat Tarkay. What if he beat him again? And again? If Calrissian could get Tarkay desperate enough, would he bet Leela?

And if he did… what if he lost?

Would she go to live with Calrissian?

Suddenly, in that moment, Leela wanted nothing more than for Tarkay to bet everything he owned, then and there.

"What is it, Leeza?" Tarkay furrowed his brow.

Leela froze. He'd noticed her expression.

Leela's heart raced. She was trapped. If she didn't let Tarkay know Lando was cheating, Lando would win. With the amount of credits on the table, Leela knew it would be the beating of her life. Tarkay would think she had lied. But Calrissian would protect her. Wouldn't he?

 _Could_ he?

Tarkay saw the fear in her eyes and became suspicious. "Leeza, tell me what's wrong."

Leela clamped her lip under her teeth. She wasn't going to blow this. Lando could take Tarkay in a fight if he threatened her. And if not, his hulking droid certainly could.

"Spit it out, girl," Tarkay growled.

"I'm sure it's nothing," said Lando reassuringly. "You ready to call your hand?"

"No." Tarkay glared at Leela, but she screwed her courage tighter. She scratched her leg eight times very hard.

"I smell a womp rat," Tarkay snarled. "You're cheatin', Calrissian."

"I have no idea what you mean," said Lando evenly. "I'm insulted by the insinuation."

"Leeka, did you see 'im cheat?" Tarkay's eyes bored into hers.

Leela shook her head vigorously. "I've been watching him."

"Fine," Tarkay hissed. "I call."

Leela took a sharp intake of breath. It was too soon! Tarkay would surely quit after he learned that she had deceived him.

Lando laid down his hand, revealing the Idiot's Array. "I win."

"Like 'ell you do," Tarkay snarled, jabbing his finger in Calrissian's face.

Leela's heart sank. Her fleeting dream had been utterly crushed.

"There's _no_ way in 'ell you got an Idiot's Array," Tarkay spat.

"And how would you know that?" Calrissian raised an eyebrow.

Tarkay opened his mouth, stopped, and scowled. "Get out o' my tavern."

"Now—"

"Out!" Tarkay slammed his fist on the table.

"Be—"

"I said get out o' my cantina!" Tarkay roared. He drew a blaster on Calrissian. "I won't 'ave cheaters in my establishment! You and your schutta droid get out!"

"Oh no." Ellthree rose to her full height and put her hands on her hips. "He did _not_ just call me that."

"Both o' you! Out!" Tarkay waved his pistol at them.

"Certainly," said Lando. "Please allow me to collect my credits—"

Tarkay roared and fired at the ceiling. Lando nodded deferentially, withdrawing his hand and leading his droid out by the arm. She shook it off before they got to the door. "I can walk by _myself,_ Landonis..."

Tarkay stood with his gun smoking and his nostrils steaming while the other customers stared.

Finally, Tarkay seemed to notice that his outburst had attracted unwanted attention. "My apologies, folks," he said, holstering his blaster. "As you know, Tarkay's 'Ostel Cantina 'as very strict rules, an' I will enforce 'em with force if I'm forced to, by the Force."

The patrons muttered.

"Sorry for the disturbance," Tarkay bowed. "Boga noga all around and 1% off lodgings!"

The customers murmured with satisfaction as Tarkay raked in the credits on the sabacc table. "Look at all this loot," he breathed.

Leela tried to slip away while was distracted by the money.

Tarkay turned. " _You_ ," he seethed. "Fetch a keg of 'Uttese ale from the cellar before I _beat_ you into the next _orbital period._ An' you listen to me, if you _ever_ pull that _bantha sh—_ " —Leela cried out as he yanked her by the lek— " _again,_ I'll make you wish you 'ad never been _born._ " Tarkay thrust her away. "Now get the karkin' cask."

Leela scampered off to the cellar faster than a blaster shot, lek throbbing.

* * *

Leela collapsed on the floor of the refresher room. The cask had been far too heavy for her, but she'd managed to get it up the basement stairs and roll it into the kitchen. Mercifully, the sudden influx of lucre from the game had put Tarkay out of a thrashing mood and all she had received was a glare and an order to keep out of his sight. Now all she wanted to do was shower and go sleep on the dirty laundry pile. She hadn't had a shower in days. She lay there on the floor of the shower, waiting for the energy to stand up and turn it on.

There was a knock at the door. "Leela, are you in there?" Desdemona called.

"Mm-hm," Leela whimpered.

"Come play Zygerrian Queen with us," said Desdemona. "We'll let you be the queen."

Leela remembered what Portia had said earlier. "Alright," she said. "Give me a minute. I'm using the refresher."

"Well 'urry up," Desdemona snapped.

Leela mustered the strength to stand and walked to the door. At least if she was playing the queen, she would be able to sit on the bed.

Leela opened the door. Desdemona was gone, already down the hall waiting for her in Portia's room. Leela shuffled out of the refresher room. She didn't actually know what she would do as queen. Would Portia and Desdemona let her take a nap on the bed? She supposed that wouldn't make the game very fun for them, and if the game wasn't fun, they probably wouldn't let her be the queen anymore.

Leela chewed her lip. She didn't really think she would like the game even if she wasn't the butt of the Tarkay girls' sadistic playing styles. The thought made her feel icky. She was, after all, playing a _Zygerrian_ queen.

Finally, she arrived at Portia's bedroom. She tentatively pushed the door open.

"Your _majesty_ ," said Desdemona, bowing. Desdemona was playing the queen's majordomo, since it was Portia's room.

Leela fiddled nervously with her fingers.

"'E-e-ere, y-your 'ighness," said Portia with mock timidity. "I've p-p-prepared your throne for you." She smoothed out the blanket and then retreated from the bed as if it were on fire.

Leela bit her lip. Portia was doing a cruel imitation of Leela when she was the one who played the slave.

"Go on," Desdemona hissed, breaking character for a brief moment.

Leela hesitated before clambering onto the bed and sitting at the head with her knees drawn up.

Leela looked at Desdemona and Portia, deciding what she would have them do. They usually had her stand on her head or tie her lekku in a knot. Leela didn't want to do anything like that.

"Um…" she said, "I'm feeling hungry." It was true. But would they give her real food or imaginary food?

"Slave!" Desdemona barked. "Fetch the queen something to eat!"

"Yes, Mona!" Portia yelped, scampering from the room.

Leela sat on the bed, wondering why the Tarkay girls were being so relatively nice to her. They'd all but ignored her other birthdays.

Portia returned with a stick of candy. "'E-ere, your 'ighness," she trembled.

"Please stop that," said Leela. "Don't make fun of me."

"I'm _pretendin'_ ," Portia whispered, handing her the candy. She grinned in a way that made Leela's empty stomach turn. Leela put the candy in her mouth.

"Would 'er majesty care for some entertainment?" Desdemona offered. "A dance, per'aps?"

Portia began to do an incredibly humiliating jig while looking Leela directly in the eye and making a pitiful face.

Leela had an idea. "I want that necklace," she said.

Portia clutched the amber necklace in her fist. "No!"

"She's right," said Desdemona. "She _is_ the queen. She should wear the necklace."

"I don't want 'er to 'ave it!" Portia whined. "It's mine!"

"It's just a game," said Desdemona, winking. "Give it to 'er."

Portia narrowed her eyes and slipped the necklace over her head. Slowly, she held it out for Leela.

Leela took it, not daring to believe it. She was holding the necklace. Her necklace. The one her mother had given her.

Slowly, she slipped it over her head.

"Anything else you want?" asked Desdemona.

"Um…" Leela said. "Could I take a nap?"

"Of course, your majesty," said Desdemona unctuously.

Leela wriggled and pulled the blanket out from underneath herself. She slipped her legs under the covers and closed her eyes. She couldn't believe it. She had the necklace back, and she was getting some rest. She didn't know how long it would last. She savored the feel of sheets on her legs, a mattress on her back, a pillow on her lekku. She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept in a bed.

"Look at the queen," Desdemona whispered. "Laying around while we do all the work."

"Yeah," Portia whispered back. "It's not fair."

Leela grew anxious. "Is this part of the game?"

"I say," Desdemona suggested, "we 'ave a revolution."

Leela furrowed her brow. That didn't sound good.

"Down with the queen!" Desdemona shouted. Leela shot up as she felt Portia and Desdemona's feet hit the bed. She cried out as the punches began to fall. "Down with tyranny!" Desdemona yelled, slapping Leela's arm.

"Down with slavery!" cried Portia as she brought her fist down on Leela's forehead.

Leela screamed and sobbed, but the girls were relentless. "Stop! Stop!"

"We're going to cut off your 'ead!" Desdemona declared. "Death to the queen!"

"Death to the queen!" Portia echoed. She yanked the necklace. "You won't be needing this anymore."

"No! That's mine!" Leela cried. "Please, it's mine!"

Desdemona pried Leela's clutching fingers away from Portia's hand as Portia slipped the necklace off of Leela's neck.

Suddenly, Leela found herself thrust onto her knees.

"Prepare the electro-guillotine!" Desdemona ordered imperiously.

Portia grabbed a bat while Desdemona lifted Leela by the scruff of her neck and positioned her head over the foot of the bed. She swatted her lekku out of the way of her neck.

"Ready!" Portia cried, raising the bat over her shoulder.

Desdemona held Leela in place with a hand on her back.

"Any last words, your 'ighness?" asked Desdemona.

"I don't want to play anymore," Leela whimpered.

Portia struck the bedpost with the bat. "Kzssh-ZAP!" Desdemona brought the side of her other hand down on Leela's neck. Leela cried out as the Tarkay girls cheered.

"The queen is dead!" Desdemona shouted, pumping her fist. "We're free!"

Leela lifted her head and laid on the bed, weeping in pain as she massaged her neck. She knew it wasn't going to end well. Why had she trusted them?

"Now I get to be the queen!" Portia cried.

"You were the queen last time," said Desdemona. "I'm older. The throne's mine now."

"Then I get to be a slaver," Portia replied. "Leela! Get up or I'll whip you!"

"Mona! Portie!" Tarkay's wife called. "Dinner's ready!"

"Pomdetare soup!" cried Portia. She and Desdemona raced downstairs.

Leela didn't bother following them. She knew after the sabacc incident, dinner wasn't on the table for her. Not that it ever was in the literal sense. Leela just lay on Portia's bed, massaging her sore neck and taking advantage of the fact that she was lying on a bed and no one was kicking her off of it. She knew she'd have to get off soon, but she had at least fifteen minutes until dinner was over, unless the Tarkays thought of a chore for her to do.

Leela closed her eyes and imagined what Bespin was like. She imagined she was there with her mother, gazing out the window at the clouds that surrounded their apartment. The walls were white and the room was enormous. A beautiful crystal chandelier floated in the middle of the room. All around the room were giant pots with plants from across the galaxy— Felucia, Ryloth, Naboo, Takodana. Leela imagined she was spinning around the room, wearing a mustard yellow dress, her lekku whipping behind her. She imagined herself flopping down on the circular maroon sofa, sighing with content. The couch was so comfortable, so soft…

She bolted up and shook her head vigorously. She couldn't allow herself to fall asleep. If she was caught sleeping in Portia's bed she would almost certainly be forced to spend the night outside.

She laid back down with her eyes wide open, clinging to the vision of the white room in the clouds.

* * *

Leela put away the vacuum mop. As expected, the Tarkays hadn't given her any food, but they did give her a long list of tasks that extended well into the night after they had gone to bed. Leela had cleaned the entire downstairs and picked up after the customers. She'd even talked a bit to the ones that were still up. She had hoped one of them would be able to tell her more about Bespin, but no such luck. She'd finished some time after the last customers had either gone up to their rooms or were snoring blacked out on the table.

Leela shut the door quietly. While she worked, she'd taken advantage of the fact that the Tarkays had gone to bed and taken some food from the pantry. Now, she was going to do something even riskier.

She crept up the stairs with bated breath. There were so many ways this could go wrong, but she had to do it.

Leela steeled her nerves and cracked open Portia's door.

Leela tiptoed over to Portia's bed. She was sleeping peacefully with her arms around her pillow.

Leela leaned in to see her neck. She wasn't wearing the necklace.

Where was it then?

Leela turned and saw it lying on the dresser. Carefully, she made her way to it and picked it up.

Leela balled up the string in her hand and closed her fingers around the stone. She slunk out the door, certain her beating heart would wake the house. She snuck silently past Desdemona's room, past the Tarkays' room, past each guestroom until she was back at the top of the stairs. She tread carefully down each step until she was at the bottom, then she crept back to the laundry room.

When she had shut the door, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and opened her hand. The moonlight in the tiny upper window illuminated the stone.

Her stone.

She had to put it somewhere where the Tarkays would never find it. She would be punished when Portia realized it was missing, but she didn't care. If this was the only spark of hope in her life, she would hold to it with everything she had, until her mother finally came for her.


End file.
